There are two main concerns I have while working in my shop. One is my health and the other one is safety. By investing in the right woodworking dust collector these concerns can almost be eliminated.

There are many different high-quality woodworking dust collectors at different price levels. You will won’t to make sure you choose the right one for your particular shop. This choice can be very difficult with so many different woodworking dust collector manufactures that provide many different capabilities. Hopefully by reading this article you will be able to buy the right woodworking dust collector for your wood shop.

These woodworking dust collectors were tested in a shop and rated on how well they performed on common shop tasks like collecting chips from a planer. I have provided some helpful tips on what type of dust collector is best for your particular shop.

Woodworking Dust Collectors – What size should you purchase?

The first thing to consider is the size of the woodworking dust collector. If you have a small shop with limited floor space you will probably want to go with a smaller size dust collector that won’t take up so much floor space. But if you have a large shop with several stationary tools you will probably want to go with a large dust collector in order to do the job of collecting all the chips and dust.

There are also two other important things to consider:

1. The horsepower (hp) of the motor

2. The cubic feet per minute (CFM) of airflow the unit is capable of generating

You probably already know this but there are plenty of manufactures that provide just about any size dust collector for any size shop. I will provide some basic information on a few of your choices.

Woodworking Dust Collectors – Portable Dust Collector

If you have a small shop with limited space you will probably won’t to go with a portable unit with a ¾ hp motor and 650 CFM.

There are several advantages: 

1. A portable dust collector can be mounted on the wall and not waste floor space.
2. By using a 10 ft section of hose you can do a very good job of collecting chips and dust and not have to buy any more hoses.
3. The cost for a portable dust collector is less than $200.
4. You want have to worry about dragging a shop vacuum around your shop.

A few disadvantages:

1. The filter bag acts as a dust collection bag which means the air has to flow back into the shop and the 30-micron dust bag will not filter out a lot of the dust particles. Some portable dust collector manufactures provide a solution by offering an optional 5-micron replacement bag.
2. You will need to empty the dust bag more often.

Woodworking Dust Collectors – Medium Size Dust Collector

The next step up would be for a shop that has only a few stationary power tools. For this size shop you would want to go with a dust collector that has a 1-hp motor and rated to generate around 700 CFM.

Advantages:

1. It has a disposable collection bag for the chips and dust.
2. Uses two bags one for the larger chips and one for dust.
3. Works well with a larger length of hose.
4. The cost for a medium size dust collector is around $300.

Disadvantages:

1. Usually a medium size dust collector only has one inlet, so it can only be attached to one power tool at a time.
2. Cannot handle a duct system.

Woodworking Dust Collector – Large Size Dust Collector

If you have a large shop and would like to add a duct system connecting to multiple tools, the 1-½ hp, 1100-1200 CFM model will serve your needs. If you go any larger you will need to add 220-volt service to your shop.

Advantages:

1. Provides pleated filters, which captures dust particles down to 1 micron and the pleated filter provides and extremely large surface area to improve filtration.
2. A few manufactures have also provided a sweeper to help remove the dust inside the canister.

Disadvantage:

1.  The average cost on a large size dust collector is around $500 to $700

Woodworking Dust Collectors – Dust Collection Accessories

The first thing you want to do when purchase your dust collector is to hook it up and get started collecting dust. Well, there are a few manufactures that don’t provide everything you need to get started. It’s like Christmas morning finding out you need batteries for the kid’s toys and Santa didn’t provide batteries!

To keep this from happening to you I’ve provided a few suggestions own what dust collection accessories you might need.

1. 10 ft or 20 ft dust collection hose

2. 4" to 2 1/2" reducer (note: make sure to measure the inlet of the power tool that you will attaching the dust collector too and what type of adapter you will need male or female)

3. 4" wire hose clamps

4. Extra dust bags

I hope you have found the information provided in this article helpful. I’ve found out, through experience, that having the right tool makes woodworking much more enjoyable and a whole lot safer.